Foot and hand mounted swimming aids

ABSTRACT

A swimming aid for hand and foot propulsion characterized by suitably aligned first and second bendably resilient plastic sheets. The second sheet is smaller in plan than the first sheet. These two sheets are arcuately bowed and laced together in a manner to clampingly and retentively embrace the swimmer&#39;&#39;s wrist or foot, as the case may be. The overlapping and overhanging marginal portions of the first sheet provide propulsion flippers. The free ends of the cord-type laces can be, and preferably are, used to tie and retain the swimming aid in ready-to-use position.

United States Patent [191 Mitchell Feb. 5, 1974 FOOT AND HAND MOUNTED SWIMMING AIDS [76] Inventor: James P. Mitchell, Rt. 1 Box 16,

Hepler, Kans. 66746 [22] Filed: Nov. 14, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 306,453

[52] US. Cl. 9/307 [51] Int. Cl A63b 31/04 [58] Field of Search 9/301, 306, 307, 309, 308

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,599,258 8/1971 Murawski 9/307 1,231,646 7/1917 Pyros 9/307 X 3,174,167 3/1965 Davley 9/308 2,555,969 6/1951 Holcombe 9/3 O7 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 163,582 11/1933 Switzerland 9/307 1,120,775 7/1956 France 9/309 Primary Examiner-George E. A. Halvosa Assistant Examiner-Gregory W. OConnor Attorney, Agent, or FirmClarence A. O'Brien; Harvey B. Jacobson [5 7] ABSTRACT 4 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures FOOT AND HAND MOUNTED SWIMMING AIDS This invention relates to appliances and accessories which are broadly classified as swimming aids and has to do with a readily applicable aid wherein two similar first and second panel-like members or sheets are arcuately bowed and laced together for propulsion use.

A survey of the field of invention pertaining, to swim training aids and aquatic applicances will reveal that hand and foot attachments featuring web-type components are designated, generally stated, as flippers. An object of the present invention, broadly stated, is to improve upon prior art swimming aids and to provide an end product which, compared to prior art aids is simple, practical and otherwise such in construction that it capably and well serves the purposes for which it has been devised.

As above stated and for general background purposes it may be added that prior art swimming aids utilize many and varied forms of propulsion wings and flippers which lend themselves to propulsion and training use on the feet, ankles, legs, arms and hands of a user in a manenr to more satisfactorily carry out satisfactorily usable movements of the thus assisted limbs.

Briefly the herein disclosed swimming aid, whether used on the arms or feet is characterized by a first bendably pliant sheet of plastic material having longitudinal marginal edges joined by transverse trailing marginal edges and provided with aligned but suitably spaced holes for passage of appropriately paired cord or equivalent laces. A second bendably pliant sheet of plastic material is lined up with and opposed to a cooperating surface of the first sheet and it too is provided with spaced holes which align with the first-named holes. By passing the laces through the properly aligned holes of the respective sheets the two sheets are not only laced together but are arcuately bowed in a manner to encompass the wearers wrist or foot as the case may be. Free end portions of the laces are available for tying the ready-to-use aid in place.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout.

FIG. 1 is a view in side elevation showing a swimmer in the act of swimming and showing one manner of applying and using the properly paired 3 forward and rearward swimming aids.

FIG. 2 is a view in perspective and on a suitably enlarged scale to show the construction of each swimming aid.

FIG. 3 is a view on a suitably enlarged scale, taken on the plane of the section line 33 of FIG. 1 looking in the direction of the indicating arrows.

With reference now to the views of the drawing, the aforementioned first bendably pliant sheet is denoted by the numeral 6 and the second complemental or companion bendably pliant sheet is denoted by the numeral 8. Although sheet material other than plastic material can be utilized in carrying out the principles of the invention, experience has shown that bendably pliant or resilient sheet plastic material, which is preferably colorful, may be and preferably is employed. The first pliant or plastic sheet 6 is rectangular in plan and is herein specifically set forth as having straight longitudinal marginal or side edges 10 joined by straight across transverse marginal edges one of which may be identified as the leading edge 12 and the other one as the trailing edge 14. The median body portion of this first sheet is here designated by the numeral 16. Each lengthwise or marginal edge portion is provided with a row of aligned holes (four holes on each side) and these holes are denoted at 18. These holes serve to accommodate the median portions 20 and terminal end portions 22 of a flexible cord or an equivalent lace 24. This lace serves a further purpose to be described but has been set forth here to give significance and purpose to the line of holes 18. It may also be mentioned that the paired laces are such in length that the terminal end portions can be knotted and tied as at 26. Then, too, by referring to FGIS. 2 and 3 and comparing the same with FIG. 1 it will be evident that not only do the end portions of the laces serve to bend and bow the two sheets 6 and 8, they can be utilized as suggested at 28 (FIG. 1) to tie the overall aid in place.

Taking up now the corresponding rectangular second pliant plastic sheet, denoted by the numeral 30 and of a length corresponding with the length of the sheet 6,

it too has longitudinal marginal edge portions 32 and transverse marginal edge portions 34. The edge portions 34 match and are flush with the edge portions 12 of the first-named sheet when the two sheets are laced together in readiness for use. This second sheet is not only panel-like in form, like the first sheet, it is smaller in plan dimension and is situated within the confines of the concave side of the first sheet 6. This sheet too has aligned rows of holes as at 36 to accommodate portions of the two laces which are threaded therethrough. It will be evident that when the laces are tautened or tightened up the longitudinal edge portions 32 abut the surface portions 34 parallel to but inwardly of the edges 38.

As is evident particularly from FIGS. 2 and 3, the lengthwise edge portions of the first-named sheet 6 which extend beyond the contracting areas 34 provide overlapping and overhanging portions 40 which, in turn, provide ideal propulsion flippers.

As is also evident from the views of the drawing, the swimming aid is simple and efficient in construction but is nevertheless such in capability that it can be applied to the wrists of the respective arms and also to the feet in the manner illustrated in FIG. 1. It follows that with the thus constructed and usable aids alternate overhand crawling strokes with the arms and hands and alternating bicycling movements of the legs and feet are attainable. It will be evident, therefore, that with the aids thus constructed and utilized they enable the swimmer to function, somewhat in the manner suggested in FIG. 1, and to resort to whatever swimming style which is found to be desirable.

Experience has shown that these aids particularly when applied to the feet are usable much in the manner that the legs would be employed in riding a bicycle. In other words, by bringing the knees up against the chest, then forcibly kicking back in a frog-like manner safe and adequate propulsion can be reliably and comfortably achieved.

The foregoing is considred as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A readily attachable and detachable swimming aid comprising a first flat-faced bendably pliant sheet of plastic material characterized by longitudinal marginal edges joined by transverse leading and trailing marginal edges and provided with aligned but suitably spaced holes for passage of laces, a second flat-faced bendably pliant sheet of plastic material which is likewise characterized by longitudinal marginal edges also joined by transverse leading and trailing marginal edges and also has spaced holes which are aligned with said firstnamed holes, said second sheet being of a length commensurate with the length of but smaller in plan than said first sheet and having its longitudinal marginal edges parallel with and spaced inwardly from the corresponding longitudinal marginal edges of the first sheet, the overlapping and overhanging longitudinal edge portions of said first sheet providing bendably resilient propulsion flippers, and cord-type laces threaded through the aforementioned holes and having free terminal end portions which can be used and tied in a manner to flex and arcuately bend the sheets and also for tying and fastening the overall aid in readiness for use.

2. A swimming aid comprising a first sheet adapted to overlie and cover a predetermined area of the swimmers l wrist or (2) foot, a second sheet complemental and opposed to an oriented and coordinated with an underneath surface of said first sheet and adapted to underlie and contact a predetermined area of the stated wrist or foot, said second sheet being of a length equal to the length of said first sheet and of a size in plan smaller than the first sheet, said sheets being made of bendably resilient sheet material, and individual sheet assembling and connecting laces threaded through registering holes provided therefor in coordinating edge portions of said sheets, said laces having readily accessible free end portions which can be manually tied and knotted for such purposes as are desired, said sheets being flexed and bowed arcuately, the median body portions of the respective sheets being aligned, arched, and spaced apart to conformingly, clampingly and retentively surround that portion of the wrist or foot which is adpated to be encompassed and surrounded thereby, said sheets being made of manually bendable plastic material, said laces being flexible and serving to not only unite said sheets in coordinating and connected relationship, but serving to maintain the given curvature of the flexed arcuately bowed median portions, and said laces being of a prescribed length, whereby said free end portions are ample for encircling, tying and retaining purposes.

3. The swimming aid defined in and according to claim 2, and wherein both sheets are rectangular in plan, each sheet having longitudinal and transverse marginal edges, the respective leading and trailing transverse marginal edges being flush, the longitudinal marginal edge portions of said first sheet projecting outwardly beyond and overhanging the corresponding marginal edges of said second sheet and providing pliant propulsion flippers.

4. The swimming aid defined in and according to claim 3, and wherein said sheets are of uniform thick ness and though pliant are amply stable to achieve the propulsion function needed for varying styles of swimming. 

1. A readily attachable and detachable swimming aid comprising a first flat-faced bendably pliant sheet of plastic material characterized by longitudinal marginal edges joined by transverse leading and trailing marginal edges and provided with aligned but suitably spaced holes for passage of laces, a second flat-faced bendably pliant sheet of plastic material which is likewise characterized by longitudinal marginal edges also joined by transverse leading and trailing marginal edges and also has spaced holes which are aligned with said first-named holes, said second sheet being of a length commensurate with the length of but smaller in plan than said first sheet and having its longitudinal marginal edges parallel with and spaced inwardly from the corresponding longitudinal marginal edges of the first sheet, the overlapping and overhanging longitudinal edge portions of said first sheet providing bendably resilient propulsion flippers, and cord-type laces threaded through the aforementioned holes and having free terminal end portions which can be used and tied in a manner to flex and arcuately bend the sheets and also for tying and fastening the overall aid in readiness for use.
 2. A swimming aid comprising a first sheet adapted to overlie and cover a predetermined area of the swimmer''s (1) wrist or (2) foot, a second sheet complemental and opposed to an oriented and coordinated with an underneath surface of said first sheet and adapted to underlie and contact a predetermined area of the stated wrist or foot, said second sheet being of a length equal to the length of said first sheet and of a size in plan smaller than the first sheet, said sheets being made of bendably resilient sheet material, and individual sheet assembling and connecting laces threaded through registering holes provided therefor in coordinating edge portions of said sheets, said laces having readily accessible free end portions which can be manually tied and knotted for such purposes as are desired, said sheets being flexed and bowed arcuately, the median body portions of the respective sheets being aligned, arched, and spaced apart to conformingly, clampingly and retentively surround that portion of the wrist or foot which is adpated to be encompassed and surrounded thereby, said sheets being made of manually bendable plastic material, said laces being flexible and serving to not only unite said sheets in coordinating and connected relationship, but serving to maintain the given curvature of the flexed arcuately bowed median portions, and said laces being of a prescribed length, whereby said free end portions are ample for encircling, tying and retaining purposes.
 3. The swimming aid defined in and according to claim 2, and wherein both sheets are rectangular in plan, each sheet having longitudinal and transverse marginal edges, the respective leading and trailing transverse marginal edges being flush, the longitudinal marginal edge portions of said first sheet projecting outwardly beyond and overhanging the corresponding marginal edges of said second sheet and providing pliant propulsion flippers.
 4. The swimming aid defined in and according to claim 3, and wherein said sheets are of uniform thickness and though pliant are amply stable to achieve the propulsion function needed for varying styles of swimming. 